With the onset of the Trump era, his highly controversial mode of "governing by Twitter" has made a comeback. From "tariff raids" to "threats of withdrawal," from "territorial expansion" to "border wall declarations," Trump's tweets have been like heavy bombs, continuously stirring waves in the global public opinion arena.

Since taking office, he has been posting tweets daily, with a peak of posts in a single week, creating one "sensation" after another in the public opinion arena. Trump, a controversial figure well-versed in the "attention economy," has constructed a system of public opinion manipulation through social media platforms that bypasses traditional media. He has not only reshaped the rules of political communication but has also further pushed the public discourse arena in the United States and globally into the "post-truth era."

In the year, Trump created the social media platform "Truth Social". The "Twitter maniac" who rewrote the model of political communication. In the month and year when Trump registered his Twitter account, almost no one could have foreseen that this account, initially used to promote TV shows and flaunt mansions, would become the "nuclear button" that rewrote the rules of American politics several years later.

In the early days, Trump's tweets were rather mundane. However, by a certain year, he keenly sensed the disruptive potential of social media. At that time, Obama was hosting town hall meetings via Twitter, prompting other politicians to follow suit. But Trump chose a different path—he "bombarded" the public discourse with aggressive language and exaggerated punctuation. He labeled Obama as "the worst president in American history," mocked Hillary Clinton for being "like a robot," and even popularized the term "fake news."

Previous practical experience has allowed Trump to fully recognize the advantages of social media. During the election, he used platforms like Twitter as his main means of communication and promotion. After moving into the White House, Trump turned Twitter into a "digital White House." Firing Secretary of State Tillerson, announcing tariffs on China, boasting about being the "greatest president in history," and even announcing his own COVID-19 infection were all first released on Twitter. Statistics show that Trump posted nearly ten thousand tweets during his first term, with a single-day record of posts, averaging one per minute. His advisors once summarized, "For Trump, tweeting is as necessary as eating."

However, what is the true nature of this "Twitter revolution"? Trump once candidly stated, "Twitter is my only defense against dishonest media." But the reality is likely more complex. Through Twitter, Trump bypassed the traditional media's censorship, directly influencing voters. He shifted political communication from "elite monopoly" to "grassroots revelry," and from "mass communication" to "customized push," ultimately aiding his successful entry into the White House.

Trump's account on the platform was banned, leading him to create his own "Truth Social." The Capitol riot that erupted in January became a turning point in Trump's mode of "governing via Twitter." Twitter permanently banned Trump's account citing "risk of incitement to violence," with Facebook and Google following suit. Overnight, the "King of Twitter" with millions of followers was expelled from the digital kingdom.

The banned Trump did not give up; he attempted to fight back through legal channels: he sued Twitter, Facebook, and others, claiming that his freedom of speech was violated. However, legal experts generally believe that these lawsuits have a very slim chance of winning. Faced with difficulties, Trump had no choice but to establish his own social platform called "Truth Social," attempting to replicate the Twitter model and using the slogan "Pursuing Truth." On its first day of launch, the app topped the Apple Store download charts, showing extremely high attention and expectations. However, technical flaws and a highly homogeneous political user base quickly turned the platform into a "conservative echo chamber," greatly limiting its influence and reach.

Until this month, the prolonged tug-of-war finally came to a resolution: President Trump reached a settlement with "X" (formerly Twitter), controlled by his closest political ally Elon Musk, and withdrew the lawsuit. Speculations abound that this might indicate his return to the mainstream social media battlefield. In the digital age, the influence of platforms has become a crucial component of political power, and in some cases, it can even play a decisive role in political elections.

On [specific date], "Truth Social" was launched in the Apple App Store. This represents an iterative upgrade of "governing via Twitter." Today, with Trump's "five powers unified" and his strong comeback, the influence of social media has been pushed to its extreme, completely overturning the role of traditional media in American political life and firmly controlling the narrative power in the United States.

With the aid of advanced algorithmic technology, Trump's "governing via Twitter" model has evolved from its initial "reality show live broadcast" phase to an era of "precision guidance." His use of social media has also transitioned from tactical application to strategic deployment.

Digital Populism: "Emotion First" in All Matters. In the era of "Governing by Twitter," Trump's insight into human weaknesses has become increasingly precise. He continuously manufactures political fast-moving consumer goods, frequently outputting controversial statements, his style resembling a "political Pinduoduo" — transforming complex policy issues into simple and emotionally striking symbols. Words and symbols like "America," "great," "immigration," and "trade" act like precision-guided public opinion missiles, directly hitting the anxiety nerves of groups such as "rednecks," quickly resonating with them. Data shows that tweets with negative emotions have an interaction rate % to % higher than neutral content. Trump is well-versed in this, continuously outputting negative emotions, shaping opposing camps, and skillfully transforming policy disputes into a narrative of a survival war between "us and them."

Algorithm Manipulation: Creating an "Information Cocoon." On the platform transformed by Musk, Trump has been granted absolute algorithmic privileges. The platform provides maximum traffic support and precise delivery for the content posted by Trump, with his tweets automatically labeled as "content of national interest" and prioritized on users' homepages, thereby constructing an "information cocoon." This "digital Skinner box" effect makes Trump's supporters like lab rats, addicted to the instant feedback of likes and retweets, gradually losing their ability to make rational judgments. Additionally, Trump systematically silences opposing voices through a three-step strategy of "blocking—reporting—banning." Some U.S. national departments have canceled subscriptions to media outlets like Politico, The New York Times, and the Associated Press. Tweets from Democratic lawmakers have been batch-labeled as "false information," and tens of thousands of accounts criticizing Trump have been permanently banned... Through these means, Trump's public opinion arena has gradually evolved into an "echo chamber," where his supporters continuously reinforce extreme positions within the information cocoon. This "algorithmic hegemony" has completely overturned the traditional media's role as a "gatekeeper."

Musk and "". Leverage of Power: From "Keyboard President" to "Token Manipulator". This year, Trump announced the launch of his personal coin on "Truth Social". This tweet instantly ignited a frenzy in the crypto market. In less than a minute, the market capitalization broke through $1 billion; within hours, it soared to $2 billion, becoming the most insane "presidential concept coin" in the history of cryptocurrency. By issuing tokens, Trump directly transformed his political influence into financial assets, allowing supporters to "vote" for his policies with real money. This model created an "on-chain fan economy," where every time Trump posted a controversial tweet, the price fluctuations of the token became a barometer of public opinion, even influencing global financial markets. This attempt at "financialized discourse power" represents a new form of political power in the digital age, while also exposing the risks of public opinion being deeply manipulated by capital and technology.

When facts give way to emotions, when reason succumbs to traffic, and when public discourse devolves into a "championship of attention," the result is the degradation of public cognitive abilities. When political debates are reduced to meme wars, when truth depends on the number of likes, and when influencers become the mouthpieces of the White House, press freedom becomes enslaved to algorithms. Is this the evolution of democracy or the end of reason? The answer may lie in the next presidential tweet that is about to explode on the hot search.